Automatic filling apparatus for liquid containers



y 5, 1956 H. LINDARS 2,745,585

AUTOMATIC FILLING APPARATUS FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 21, 1952United States Patent 'AUTOMATIC'FILLING APPARATUS FOR LIQUID CONTAINERSa-HermanLindars, Sheflield,:England Application'January21,I952,SerialNo; 267,390

Claims @riority,1applicafiorr.Great diritain February r20,- 1951 3.Claims. ((113226-5127) This invention relates to I apparatus forsupplying liquid to containers-mid ithas for an object '10 provideapparatus whereby can "be 'supplied to a container to a predetermined ofits capacity.

'The'pr'esent invention aims at ensuring thatany container is 'fill'edtoa predetermined limit of its actual capacity irrespective of itsnominal'sizeand at the same time prevents spillage of'the liquid.

sponsive means connected with-said tube and regulating means operatedbysaid pressure responsive means "for interrupting 'thehow ofliquidthrough said conduit when the predeterminedliquid-levelin the containeris reached.

Preferably, the conduit includes a filling nozzle rigidly secured tosaid air supply tube to form a single unit therewith and the means forinterrupting the flow of liquid through said conduit comprises anelectro-rnagnetically operated valve.

Advantageously, the pressure responsive means is a bellows which isarranged to operate a relay connected in circuit with theelectro-magnetic means of the valve, which, in a preferred form, isspring biassed towards its closed position and is normally kept openagainst the action of the spring by means of a lever adapted to bereleased by operation of the electro-magnet.

A preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrative onlythereof, will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawing.

The apparatus comprises a nozzle 1 for filling a container 2 with liquidwhich is connected to the liquid supply line 3 through a shut-off valve4 which is spring-loaded to the closed position. The valve 4 is heldopen by means of a lever 5 which is pivoted at 6 adjacent the free endof the valve stem 7 and is retained in the valve opening position bymeans of a latch 8 which engages the free end of the lever 5. The latchcarries an armature 9 for an electromagnet 10 which is energised fromsupply mains 11 through a pair of electro-magnetic relay contacts 12aand 12b which close when the relay 13 is energised. The circuit to therelay 13 comprises a pair of contacts 14a and 14b mounted adjacent atail piece 15 on the shut-off valve lever 5 and adapted to be closedwhen the lever 5 is latched to hold the valve 4 open. These contacts 14aand 14b are connected in series with a second pair of normally closedcontacts 16a and 16b which are arranged to be opened by a bellows orlike pressure responsive relay 17. The relay 13 controlling the circuitto the electro-magnet 10 is thus normally energised so that the latch 8is positively held in engagement with the lever 5. A spring 18 biasesthe latch 8 to the release position so that when the electro-magnet 10becomes de-energised ice .;2 the shut-ofi valve lcloses under th'e'ac'tion of its loading spring'1'9.

[he bellows 17*is open to atmosphere-on one side 17a and entireotherside 17b is connected to" arela'tiv'ely 5 narrow bore air tube 20whiehterminateswt its lower end "21 close to, and *slightly above, -"themouth or "the liquid nozzle-.1. Thelower'portion of thisair tube" 20 issecured to or formed integrally with the liquid "nozzle 1,

Whilst the upper end above the 'connectiomtothe bellows 10 I7 isprovided =witha needle-'valve 22 for= controlling' the flow of airthroughthetubedo. iiBeyon'd theneedle-valve 22, connection is -made' toa low'pressure air supply inot -shown).

Surrounding'thenozzle 1 and the lower end of the an 15 tube 20 is-acollar 23Whiohfis adjustably-' clamped 'to' the nozzle 1 to define theextent' to which the air tube 20 projects into the container 2. Theco1lar' 23'is adapted toreston-"the rim"l4 of theifilling apertureZ25 inthe 4 container '1 in 'sucha manner that it 'doesnot'cons-tit-ute 20 anairtight seal. If desired, 'the lower surfaceof the collar "23 may beprovided 1 with flutes or corrugations (not shown) to ensure 'thatno-sealcan befor-me'd.

In operation, the collar 23, T is adjusted on 5 the 1 liquid nozzle "-1so that the "air tube 20 =projec'ts mm 1 the con- 25 tainer 2slightly'bel'owthe leveliL to' which it -is to be filled. "The amGufifbY-Whibh'the open.:end -21'of the'ti1be $20 I lies "below this -level :wm 'dependou the calibration of the bellows 17. T he liquid' nozzle l with theattached air: pipe 20 is -1hen inserted into -the container"2' and-' theneedle valve 22 in the air tube'fill is'opened toallow air fto leakidownthe tube 20; arid-I'escape through the filling orifice is of thecontainer' 2. since -theair 'is thus free to escape, there is finofidifierential pressure ileve'loped across the bellows 17 and thecontacts 16a and 16b operated thereby remain closed.

When filling is to be commenced, the shut-off valve 4 is opened byengaging the lever 5 with the latch 8, thereby causing the contacts 14aand 14b operated by the tailpiece 15 on the lever 5 to close. Theelectro-magnetic 40 relay 13 is thereupon energised to close itscontacts 12a and 12b and so in turn to energise the electro-magnet 10which holds the latch 8 in engagement with the shut-ofi valve lever 5.Liquid thereupon flows into the container 2 and the level rises therein.

When the liquid level reaches the bottom of the air tube 20 an air sealis formed and pressure begins to build up in the air tube 20 between theneedle valve 22 and the lower end of the tube 20. This pressure appearsacross the bellows 17 and in a short time builds up to a sufiicientvalue to operate the bellows 17 and so open the normally closed contacts16a and 16b controlled thereby. These contacts break the circuit to theelectro-magnetic relay 13 which thereupon releases its contacts 12a and12b to open the circuit of the electro-magnet 10. The latch 8 is thenreturned to its free position by the spring 18 and releases the shut-offvalve lever 5. The supply of liquid is thereupon cut off by closure ofthe valve 4 under the action of its spring 19.

It will be seen that the apparatus functions to ensure the automaticcut-oil of the supply of liquid to a container 2 when the level of theliquid therein rises above the level of the open end of the air tube 20by an amount sufficient to constitute a seal against the relatively lowair pressure in the air tube 20. The amount by which 5 the level mustrise to elfect a cut-ofi of the liquid supply is thus partly dependenton the air pressure below the needle valve 22 and the sensitivity of thebellows 17 or other pressure responsive relay means.

Various modifications of the above arrangement can 7 be made as will beunderstood. Thus, for example, the air tube can be separated from theliquid nozzle and placed at a different part of the containers whereerrors due to splashing or turbulence in the vicinity of the nozzle arereduced to a minimum. Where the apparatus is to be used for fillingcontainers with chemicals under controlled atmosphere conditions, anyinert gas may be used in place of air in the air tube. In thisspecification, the term air is to be understood as including any form ofgas.

The circuit for controlling the shut-cit valve in the liquid supply linemay be modified in any suitable manner and may be partially or wholly ofa pneumatic or hydraulic nature if preferred. The bellows may also bereplaced by a diaphragm or even a piston and cylinder type of motor, ifdesired.

The invention is applicable to the filling of all liquid containersincluding those which are permanently connected to a liquid supply linefor intermittent filling, in which case the air tube may also be apermanent fitting. Should it be necessary to vary the level of liquiddischarged into such containers, provision may be made for theadjustment of the height of the open end of the air tube in the mannerdescribed above.

What I claim:

1. Apparatus for supplying liquid to a receptacle up to a predeterminedlevel therein comprising a liquid discharge nozzle, a valve forcontrolling the liquid flow through the nozzle, a valve operating leverresiliently biased to the closed position, a detent engageable with theoperating lever to hold it in the open position, an electromagnet forholding the detent in its engaged position, an air pressure pipeconnected to said nozzle and terminating at a point corresponding to thesaid predetermined level, a single pneumatic relay communicating withthe said pipe, and contacts controlled by said relay for de-energisingthe electromagnet on operation of the relay by a rise in air pressure inthe pipe.

2. Apparatus for supplying liquid to a receptacle up to a predeterminedlevel therein comprising a liquid discharge nozzle, a valve forcontrolling the liquid flow through the nozzle, 21 valve operating leverresiliently biased to the closed position, a detent engageable with theoperating lever to hold it in the open position, an electromagnet forholding the detent in its engaged position, an air pressure pipeconnected to said nozzle and terminating at a point corresponding to thesaid predetermined level, a single pneumatic.relay'communicating withthe said pipe, at first pair of contacts adapted to be opened by thepneumatic relay on a rise in pressure in the pipe, a second pair ofcontacts in series with the said first pair and adapted to be closed bythe valve operating lever when engaged by the detent, and anelectromagnetic relay in the circuit of said contacts for controllingthe energisation of the detent electromagnet when the valve operatinglever is moved to the open position.

3. Apparatus for supplying liquid to a receptacle to a predeterminedlevel, comprising a liquid discharge nozzle, a valve for controlling theliquid flow through the nozzle, a valve operating lever resilientlybiased to the closed position, a detent engageable with'the operatinglever to hold it in the open position, an electromagnet for holding thedetent in its engaged position, an air pressure pipe connected to saidnozzle and terminating at a point corresponding to said predeterminedlevel, a single pneumatic relay communicating with said pipe, and meanscontrolled by the pneumatic relay and responsive to a rise in pressurein the air pressure pipe for deenergizing said electromagnet to closesaid liquid control valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS BealsOct. 9,

